Car-coupling.



H. T. KRAKAU.

GAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.16. 1909.

1,052, 11 9. Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

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H. T. KEAKAU.

GAE UOUPLING.

APPLIOATION FILED NOY.16,1909

Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY T. KRAKAU, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL MALLEABLE CASTINGS COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

CAR-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 16, 1909.

Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

Serial No. 528,337.

To all 10/2 om it may concern.

Be it known that I, HARRY T. Kmumu, a citizen of the United States, and a resident. of Cleveland, Cuy'ahoga county, Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Car-Couplers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the rccompanying drawings, forming partof this'specification, in which Figure 1 is a plan view showin a coupler embodying my invention with t 10 coupler drawn out to an abnormal position; Fig. 2 is a side view of the same partly in section and partly broken away, and showing the coupler locking member raised; Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views of the link and clevis; Fig. 5 is a detail view partly broken away showing the locking member in locked position; Figs. 6 and 7 are side and edge views res ectively of one of the members of the lin Figs. 8 and 9 are similar views of the other member of the link; Figs. 10 and 11 are side views of the members of a modified form of link; and Fig. 12 is a side view of the complete modified form of link.

My invention has relation to car couplers of the top-o )eniug ty e, havin a vertically movable loc ting mom er, whic 1 is designed to be raised to release the knuckle to effect an uncoupling.

It has been customary heretofore to attach to the locking member a liftin link, which, in the locking position of sai member would swing baekwardl underneath a portion of the top wall of t e coupler head and thus securely lock the locking member in its locked position. This link has been connected by a clevis with an uncoupling rod or lever adapted to be actuated to effect the uncoupling and also to be automatically operated in case the draft rigging shou d break and the coupler pull out, to raise the lockin member and release the coupler. Some ifiiculty has been ex erienced, however, by reason of a too rigi connection between the clevis and the link, so that as the coupler pulled out the clevis would not act roperly to raise the look, but the clevis and link would bind in the coupler head. This caused the uncoupling connection to be broken and the coupler to drop on the track.

The object of my invention is to provide a clevis and link so constructed and arranged that in case of breakage, the difficulty above referred to will e obviated,

and the locking member will in all cases be raised to release the coupler and prevent it from being entirely pulled out and dropping on the track.

A further object of my invention is, to provide a link of novel construction which can be readily connected to and disconnected from the loc (ing member.

The nature of my invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, which will now he described, it being premised, however, that various changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

In these drawings, the numeral 2 designotes a coupler head, 3 the coupler shank, and 4 an uncoupling rod or lever of well known type.

5 is the vertically movable coupler locking member, also of well known type, and to which is connected the lifting link 6.

7 is the clevis which connects this link to the arm of the uncoupling rod or lever 4. The clevis 7 is formed with a slot 8, which extends entirely through its lower portion, except for the provision of a stop wall 9. The link 6 has a reduced upward extension 10, which fits under the top wall 11 of the coupler head when the lock is in locked po ition, as shown in Fig. 5, thus retaining e lock in that position until the operating lever is raised. This upward extension is reduced in order to ass through the slot 8 of the clevis, when tie clevis is pulled in a rearward direction, as shown in Fig. 2, the clevis being prevented from falling over into a completely horizontal position by the sto wall 9. This sto -wall 9 also coacts \viti the led e or shou der 24 on the link, as shown in ig. 5, to prevent the upper end of the link from falling too far backward when the parts are in locking position. By constructing and connecting the arts in this manner, the clevis 7 will pul backwardly when the coupler is drawn out beyond its proper limit, due to some accident to its attachments, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, and will raise the link 6 suiliciently high to unlock the coupler as shown in Fig. 2 and release it from the ad'aceut coupler without pulling it completel y out of the car and permitting it to drop on the track.

--;The rear'iedgc'f'ofthe elevis is cut away or l crum bearing uponthe-ed ge 13of the top wall,of.t-he eon )ling,.the latter acting as a fulcrum -to,facilitate the lifting action on the link (3.- This curved edge of the clevis also slides freely over the edge 13 of the cou ler wall, and prevents any tendency to hint "The link 6 is made in two pieces 6 and 61, as moreclea'rly shown in Figs. 6, 7,

8 and i). The-"piece 6 carries the reduced np'u' 'ard'extension 10, and also a hook portion 14 at the lower end, which forms onehulf of-the loop or eye which en ages the eye 15'0n the cou ler lock. Said member is also formed with the recessed portion 16 having dovetail or undercut walls 17. The member 6 carries the complementary eye or loop-forming portion 14, and its body portion has the bevel edges 18 which fit the undercut walls 17 of the recess 16 of the member 6. The members (3 and 6 are formed with the registering perforations 1t) and 20 for the pin 21 which pivotally connects the link to the clevis. hen the parts are fitted together and engage with the clevis, and the elevis pin is passed through these registering holes, the parts of the link are held securely together so as to perform their function as one piece, the hook portions 14 and 14" interfitt-ing with each other to form a completely closed eye or loop for en agement'with the eye of the lock.

he advantage of makin the link in two pieces is that it facilitates't-lie connection between the link and the lock. Thus, in putting new locks in the cou )ler, it is ver easy to remove the clevis an pin and tal i'e the link from the lock without destroying its usefulness, since it can be re-attached to the new look. Also, in shipping locks for repairs it is unnecessary for the manufacturer to know whether the lock is to be used with a top-opening coupler or a bottomopening coup er, since it is not necessary to 5 ip the lock with the link welded into it in case a topmpening coupler is used; but the lock can be Sl\l)[)C(l and the railroad can apply it to eitier a top-opening coupler or a bottom-opening coupler as they may require.

In the modification shown in Figs. 10, U and 12, the two members (3 and 6 of the link, instead of being provided with the interiitting dovetail portions, are secured together by means of studs or projections 22 on the member 6, which engage recesses 23 on the member 6 After the parts are puttogether the studs or projections are hammered down to fill these recesses and thus prevent the two parts from coming apart except as they may be forced apart with a tool. This form is not quite as desirable as that first described, because the further usefulness of the two parts is somewhat decreased after they have been forced a Rift.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The construction and arrangement of the elevis and link is such as to insure the automatic release ot'thc lock in case of accident to the coupler attachments; and the links and clevises can be uickly assembled and connected to the lodlt.

It. will be obvious that the form and cou struction of the link may be moditied in various ways, and that changes may be made in the form of the clevis, ithout. departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

\ Vhat I claim is 1. In a car coupler, a lock-lifting link having an eye therein, a .ortion of said eye being formed by a dctae iable section of the link; substantially as described.

2. In a car coupler, a lock-lifting link formed in two sections having intertitting portions, and means for detachably securmg said sections to each other; substantially as described.

3. In a car coupler, a lock-lifting link formed in two sections dctachably secured together, said sections having complementary portions which together form an eye or loop for en agement with the coupler lock; substantia ly as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

HARRY T. KRAKAU.

\Vitnesses:

CHESTER K. Buoous, Haney E. ORR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

, Washington, D. C." 

